Keke Palmer reacts to social media colorism comparisons to Zendaya: ‘I’ve had a blessed career thus far’
The actress is busy promoting 'Nope,' the latest Jordan Peele film, in which she stars alongside Daniel Kaluuya.
Keke Palmer is not here for anyone underestimating her worth. After a tweet went viral comparing her career to Zendaya’s in an attempt to address colorism in the industry, the “Nope” star took to the app to have the last word on the matter, saying that the clearest example of colorism is the tweet comparing her to another woman in the first place.
From “Nope” and “Lightyear” to hosting shows like “Legendary” and “Foodtastic,” Palmer has had quite the year. But this is simply one of many for the multitalented performer, who has spent almost two decades in the industry, with various films, television series, music projects, talk shows and more.
Despite her impressively long resume, with “Nope,” the latest film from Jordan Peele, many critics have referred to a “breakout role” for the actress. A tweet that went viral, however, attempted to call out colorism in the industry by comparing Palmer’s career to that of Zendaya, a lighter-skinned actress who was also a child star who became established and successful as an adult.
The tweet almost immediately took off on the site, however not positively, with many users calling out the tweet for “missing the point” by comparing Palmer to Zendaya in the first place. As the tweet spent much of a day viral on the app, on Sunday evening, Palmer took to Twitter to put in her own two cents on the matter, essentially calling out the tweet for its controversial take.
Palmer wrote to her followers, “A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone. I’m the youngest talk show host ever. The first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, & the youngest & first Black Cinderella on broadway. I’m an incomparable talent. Baby, THIS, is Keke Palmer.”
She continued in a follow-up tweet, “I’ve been a leading lady since I was 11 years old. I have over 100+ credits, and currently starring in an original screenplay that’s the number one film at the box office #NOPE. I’ve had a blessed career thus far, I couldn’t ask for more but God continues to surprise me.”
In the reactions tweeted before Palmer weighed in, many called out the hypocrisy in the original post while also lifting up both Palmer and Zendaya. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown wrote in a tweet, “Both of these babies are blessed in NUMEROUS areas. Both have created lanes unique to their amazing gifts. Both shine whenever and wherever they pop up. Both of them have IT! Colorism is real. But they are not competitors.”
She continued, “And it’s also not fair to act as if the mess of this racist country is @KekePalmer or @Zendaya’s cross to carry. Let them work. Let them live. Let them shine. Without the weight of the mess built into this country long before each of them were born. That’s my two cents.”
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